Hanh's story

"Because we have all been through the same situation, it gives us that little bit of relief to say 'ok, you are not alone and you didn't go through that all by yourself'."

Almost every day, stories about child trafficking and modern slavery grab the headlines. Child exploitation is taking place across the UK – last year alone, 2,118 children were identified as potential victims of sexual exploitation, forced labour, forced criminality, or domestic servitude. Sadly, these figures are only the tip of the iceberg - there are still thousands of children experiencing horrific exploitation and they need your help now.

Child trafficking is happening right here, right now.

With more victims coming forward, the demand for ECPAT UK’s assistance has never been greater, but we are struggling to support everyone who needs us - young people like Hanh*.

Aged 15, Hanh* was homeless in Vietnam when she was approached by two women who offered to help her. Instead, they drugged her and Hanh was trafficked to the UK where she was sexually exploited for two months. One day, she seized an opportunity to escape and found a police station. She was identified as a victim of trafficking and safeguarded, but remained vulnerable with no specialist support to help her recover. Hanh was scared and didn’t know who to trust, but with the support she receives at ECPAT UK’s youth group, she is rebuilding her life.

‘The youth group has made a big difference to my life and my future. At the group, they help me deal with all the difficulties I have. Without ECPAT UK I would not be who I am today – I’m really grateful to be able to develop my skills, confidence and independence.’

We believe that all children have the right to a life free from abuse. With your help, we can support child victims of trafficking to rebuild their lives, and campaign to protect children everywhere from trafficking and exploitation.

Make a one-off or regular donation

£25 could give a young victim of trafficking an hour of practical advice and emotional support from our expert youth workers

£50 could pay for a workshop for young victims that develops their skills for the future

£100 could help us to publish a report on child trafficking to improve protection of victims

£200 could pay for a confidence-building group activity or trip for young victims of trafficking

Two leading UK charities, ECPAT UK and Missing People, have released a new report warning that trafficked and unaccompanied children are 30 times more likely to go missing than other children their age. Additionally, in 2017, trafficked and unaccompanied children went missing from care on average 7 times, highlighting grave safeguarding failures on the part of local authorities.

More than 30 child rights NGOs, including ECPAT UK, ECPAT International and eight ECPAT member groups have written to EU President Junckers expressing concern over the wording of the draft Regulation on Privacy and Electronic Communications (e-Privacy Regulation), currently under consideration in Brussels. The NGOs are concerned the new regulation could hamper efforts to track online child sex offenders and identify victims.

ECPAT UK is once again partnering with the Refugee Council to deliver training to over 1,000 foster carers and support workers in accommodation placements in England. The 'caring for separated and trafficked children' training programme will equip those with caring duties for unaccompanied and trafficked children with the knowledge and tools to effectively protect these vulnerable children.

On Wednesday, 17th October 2018, ECPAT UK will join partners from across Europe to participate in a ‘Day of Action’ for unaccompanied and separated children, as part of the cross-border Safeguarding Migrant Children Across Europe (AMINA) project.

Thousands of children put at risk of trafficking by the UK Government’s lack of plan to prevent it, says new report by the Anti-Trafficking Monitoring Group - a group of organisations including ECPAT UK.

Sexual exploitation and abuse in the aid sector has been an ‘open secret’ among humanitarian organisations, with individuals who report abuse continually ‘silenced and ostracised’, according to a new report by the International Development Committee which drew on evidence submitted by ECPAT UK.

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The Secret Gardeners aims to inform professionals about the plight of children who are forced by organised crime gangs to grow drugs in houses across the UK but who often face criminalisation and prison.

The National Referral Mechanism is a process set up by the Government to identify and support victims of trafficking in the UK. It was born out of the Government's obligation to identify victims under the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Human Trafficking, which came into force on 1 February 2008.

In 2018 we worked with Care2 to call on the Home Secretary, Sajid Javid MP, to overhaul the current system of identification and support for victims of trafficking – the National Referral Mechanism (NRM).

This year, an incredible 120,535 supporters called for specialist support for all trafficked children. However, the fight is not finished and with the Modern Slavery Act currently under review, it’s now or never to make sure your voice is heard. Will you take 5 minutes to contact your MP asking them to raise this issue with the Home Secretary?

The UK Government is failing to protect thousands of children from exploitation by lacking a plan to prevent child trafficking, according to a new report by the Anti-Trafficking Monitoring Group (ATMG), a coalition of twelve UK-based charities, including ECPAT UK. The report Before the Harm is Done, stresses that the UK has no specific strategy in relation to preventing trafficking in children, putting thousands of children at risk.

ECPAT UK offers a comprehensive training programme, in line with National Occupational Standards, delivering courses for more than 20 years to help improve responses to child trafficking, modern slavery and exploitation.

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Report immediate concerns about a child's welfare

If you have an immediate concern about a child's welfare, please contact your local council's social care department, who are available 24 hours a day. You can find their contact details on the Directgov website or in the phone book.

You can also contact the Modern Slavery Helpline on 0800 0121 700 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

If your concern is urgent, please call the police in your area or 999.